Possible to fix the clear coat on carbon fiber?

[ShootinPutin]

Hello everyone, I was hoping someone with a little more experience could help me out with a slight problem I have. I decided to re-clear coat my passwordJDM three piece front slitter. After doing some research online on how to do it I realized that none of the videos show the type of damage I have.
I did try and sand down one of the pieces but its seems like its hopeless as there are white dots underneath. Do I have to sand down all the way to the carbor fiber?

I have chipped clear coat while the videos show faded or muggy clear coats. Im concerned about sanding to much and sanding down the carbon fiber it self.

I was hoping if someone could give some advice on how to go about this. Should I try and sand it down unit all the white spots go away? Or was to much damage done and I should just buy a new set.

Thanks!
Hopefully you will see what im talking about in the pictures.
https://imgur.com/a/DJG2o

[NRXRaptor]

My guess is that you're going to have to fill the hole with epoxy/clear coat/whatever, then sand it down to level, then clear coat again to make it shiny. You might be able to send it to the manufacturer for repair, but at that point you might buy a new piece instead depending on what the repair cost is

[swarb]

Originally Posted by ShootinPutin

Hello everyone, I was hoping someone with a little more experience could help me out with a slight problem I have. I decided to re-clear coat my passwordJDM three piece front slitter. After doing some research online on how to do it I realized that none of the videos show the type of damage I have.
I did try and sand down one of the pieces but its seems like its hopeless as there are white dots underneath. Do I have to sand down all the way to the carbor fiber?

I have chipped clear coat while the videos show faded or muggy clear coats. Im concerned about sanding to much and sanding down the carbon fiber it self.

I was hoping if someone could give some advice on how to go about this. Should I try and sand it down unit all the white spots go away? Or was to much damage done and I should just buy a new set.

Thanks!
Hopefully you will see what im talking about in the pictures.
https://imgur.com/a/DJG2o

You just need to sand it down enough so the imperfections are gone. It is possibly a gel coat and not actual clear coat(or just really thin/cheap). Just keep an eye on the particles coming off, if it is black, it is carbon. The finish will turn into a matte/dry carbon look after. A fine sanding sponge should work good. Be aware that a flex agent is needed in the clear coat as the carbon will flex.
Good luck

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

youtube sanding DIY videos. You just use ascending grades of sand paper (wet sand technique) and then scratch remover and polish, then wax.

[TheDetailer718]

Those white dots are actually what we call "solvent pop".

This happens when paint is layered too quickly on a panel. If you spray paint and don't let the solvent escape properly (By using heat or something similar) then it will get trapped under the next layer of paint that you spray over it.

Now, because it's trapped, it literally forces itself out and cause a little microscopic "explosion" which forms those little white dots.

BTW, solvent is used as a kind of lubrication agent that is mixed with the paint that allows it to be sprayed out of the spray gun much smoother.

[8RZ]

I was able to restore my horribly fading CF Hood back in the day. Wet-sanded it myself until it got hazy then dropped if off at the paint shop for 6 coats of clear and it looked better than when it was new.

[ShootinPutin]

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the advice!

I guess ill be sanding it down this weekend and see what I can make of it. Power tools ok to use on it? Im guessing as long as I dont sand down the carbon it should be ok.

If I do accidentally sand down some of the carbon, will it visible after I clear coat it? or will it hardly make a difference?

Will report back after I finish with this project.

[NRXRaptor]

Originally Posted by ShootinPutin

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the advice!

I guess ill be sanding it down this weekend and see what I can make of it. Power tools ok to use on it? Im guessing as long as I dont sand down the carbon it should be ok.

If I do accidentally sand down some of the carbon, will it visible after I clear coat it? or will it hardly make a difference?

Will report back after I finish with this project.

Do it by hand. It doesn't take much work to scuff up clear coat. Use more abrasive paper first - like below 800 grit - and finish with finer paper, maybe 1500 or so. Like others said, sand down enough to remove imperfections and then taking it to a paint shop seems like a good course of action

[ShootinPutin]

Little update, went to the store this Friday and got some 320 grit sand paper.
Started sanding it down and it worked very well, I showed the guy at the counter what im trying to sand down and that the grit he recommended. It worked wonders. I still have some more sanding to do but its looking much better. I did sand down some of the carbon especially it the hard to reach places. You can see it changed patterns just a tiny bit where the carbon gets sanded down. But I think it will be acceptable considering that a new set will cost me 700 bucks.
Here is the album with some pictures of what it looks like after

https://imgur.com/a/v7KWh